Anti-slip shoe attachment

ABSTRACT

A pair of spaced side-by-side elongated traction members adapted to underlie longitudinally spaced sole portions of a shoe with the traction members extending transversely of the sole are provided. The opposite ends of the traction members include upturned terminal ends terminating upwardly in inturned hooks for, together with the aforementioned terminal ends and the adjacent ends of the traction members, embracingly engaging the adjacent sole edge portions. Elongated rigid members extend between and rigidly interconnect the hooks carried by corresponding ends of the traction members and the entire apparatus is constructed of a single length of spring metal heavy gauge wire. The elongated side-by-side traction members are arcuate in plan shape and open away from each other and in this manner slipping of the associated shoe or boot over a snowcovered surface is strongly resisted.

United States Patent 1191 McDonnold June 17, 1975 ANTI-SLIP SHOEATTACHMENT [76] Inventor: Dion C. McDonnold, 1140 S.W. 6th

St., Cooper, Tex. 75432 [22] Filed: May 14, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 469,909

Pulver 36/7.6

Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A.OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT A pair of spaced side-by-sideelongated traction members adapted to underlie longitudinally spacedsole portions of a shoe with the traction members extending transverselyof the sole are provided. The opposite ends of the traction membersinclude upturned terminal ends terminating upwardly in inturned hooksfor, together with the aforementioned terminal ends and the adjacentends of the traction members, embracingly engaging the adjacent soleedge portions. Elongated rigid members extend between and rigidlyinterconnect the hooks carried by corresponding ends of the tractionmembers and the entire apparatus is con structed of a single length ofspring metal heavy gauge wire. The elongated side-by-side tractionmembers are arcuate in plan shape and open away from each other and inthis manner slipping of the associated shoe or boot over a snow-coveredsurface is strongly resisted.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 n ANTI-SLIP SHOE ATTACHMENT BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION Various forms of shoe or boot sole attachable orassociated traction aids have been heretofore designed. However, most ofthese previouslyknown traction aids are difficult to apply and areconstructed in a manner whereby substantial shifting between thetraction aid 1 j and the associated sole is possible under certainconditions. In addition, some shoe and boot traction aids previouslydesigned cannot be walked upon over domestic floor surfaces or coveringsfor fear of damaging such flooring or coverings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The shoe sole attachment of theinstant invention is constructed in a manner whereby it may be snapclampingly engaged with an associated shoe sole and treme thrusts beingdirectedupon the traction aid defining attachment to shift the latterrelative to its associated sole.

The main object of this invention is to provide a readily attachable anddetachable shoe or boot sole attachment for providing additionaltraction on slippery surfaces to be walked upon.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide an attachment which is of one piececonstruction and which may be readily attached to an associated shoesole.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device inaccordance with the preceding objects and which will be capable ofadjusting to different size shoe soles.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a shoe soleattachable traction aid constructed in a manner to afford considerablyincreased traction on slippery surfaces to be walked upon and yet whichmay be worn on the shoes or boots of persons which must occasionallywalk on conventional flooring or floor coverings without damage to thosefloorings or floor coverings.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a shoe sole attachment in accordance with the precedingobjects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, beof simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device thatwill be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble freein operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of aconventional shoe with the traction aid of the instant inventionremovably applied to the sole portion of the shoe;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the traction aid as seen from above andto one side thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIG.1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the traction aid as seen from belowand with the traction aid being illustrated in operative positionrelative to a shoe sole fragmentarily illustrated by phantom lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more specifically tothe drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form ofshoe including a sole 12, a heel 14 and an upper 16.

The traction aid of the instant invention is referred to in general bythe reference numeral 18 and includes a pair of spaced side-by-sideelongated traction members 20 for extending transversely beneath thesole 12. The opposite ends of the traction members 20 include upturnedterminal ends 22 which terminate upwardly in inturned hooks which,together with the upturned terminal ends 22 in the adjacent ends of thetraction members 20, are adapted to clampingly embracingly engagelongitudinally spaced portions of the sole 12 spaced along the Oppositesides thereof.

The traction members 20 are arcuate in configura-.

tion and Open away from each other and the innermost A ends ofcorresponding hooks 24 of the traction members 20 are interconnected bymeans of elongated connecting members 26 which are arcuate and opentoward each other. The connecting members may be considered as supportmembers and overlie the opposite side marginal portions of the sole 12as can best be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

The connecting members 26 and the traction members 20 are disposed inparallel horizontal planes and the entire traction aid 18 is constructedof a single length of stiff heavy gage spring wire with the oppositeends of the wire joined in end-to-end abutted relation as at 28intermediate the opposite ends of one of the connecting members 26.

It is believed apparent that the aid 18 may be snap clampingly engagedwith the sole 12 and that the aid 18 may be clampingly engaged withwider sole portions merely by applying slightly greater pressure tospread the connecting members 26 apart and to thereby slightlystraighten the arcuate traction members. Also, because of the roundcross-sectional shape of the spring wire of which the aid 18 is formed,the aid 18 is adaptable to snap clampingly engage opposite side marginaledge portions of soles of different thicknesses.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A shoe sole attachable traction aid, said aid including a pair ofgenerally horizontal elongated generally parallel support members atleast slightly arcuate in shape and opening toward each other, theopposite ends of each of said members including Outtumed endsterminating outwardly in downturned portions terminating downwardly ininturned ends, and elongated traction members extending and connectedbetween corresponding inturned ends of said support members,

said support members being adapted to be disposed alongside the forwardmid-portions of the upper of a shoe with said outturned ends, downturnedportions and inturned ends embracingly gripping adjacent sole portionsof said shoe and said traction members clamped to and extending acrossthe undersurface of the sole of said shoe.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said aid is constructed of asingle elongated member having its ends rigidly joined together in endaligned abutted relatron.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is rodshaped in configuration.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said aid is constructed of asingle elongated member having its ends rigidly joined together in endaligned abutted relation, said ends being joined intermediate the endsof one of said support members.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said traction members aregenerally arcuate in plan shape.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said arcuate traction members openaway from each other.

7. A shoesol e traction aid attachment comprising a pair of spacedside-by-side elongated traction members adapted to underlielongitudinally spaced sole portions of a shoe with said traction membersextending transverselyof said sole portions, the opposite ends of saidtraction members including upturned terminal ends terminating upwardlyin inturned hooks adapted, together with said terminal ends andthe'adjacent ends'of said traction members, to embracingly engage theadjacent sole edge portions, means extending between and rigidlyinterconnecting the hooks carried by corresponding ends of said tractionmembers, said traction members being generally arcuate in plan shape,said arcuate traction members opening away from each other.

8. The combinationof claim 7 wherein said aid is constructed of a singleelongated member having its ends rigidly joined together in end alignedabutted relation.

9. The combinaton of claim 8 wherein said elongated member is rod shapedin configuration]

1. A shoe sole attachable traction aid, said aid including a pair ofgenerally horizontal elongated generally parallel support members atleast slightly arcuate in shape and opening toward each other, theopposite ends of each of said members including outturned endsterminating outwardly in downturned portions terminating downwardly ininturned ends, and elongated traction members extending and connectedbetween corresponding inturned ends of said support members, saidsupport members being adapted to be disposed alongside the forwardmid-portions of the upper of a shoe with said outturned ends, downturnedportions and inturned ends embracingly gripping adjacent sole portionsof said shoe and said traction members clamPed to and extending acrossthe undersurface of the sole of said shoe.
 2. The combination of claim 1wherein said aid is constructed of a single elongated member having itsends rigidly joined together in end aligned abutted relation.
 3. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is rod shaped inconfiguration.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said aid isconstructed of a single elongated member having its ends rigidly joinedtogether in end aligned abutted relation, said ends being joinedintermediate the ends of one of said support members.
 5. The combinationof claim 1 wherein said traction members are generally arcuate in planshape.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said arcuate tractionmembers open away from each other.
 7. A shoe sole traction aidattachment comprising a pair of spaced side-by-side elongated tractionmembers adapted to underlie longitudinally spaced sole portions of ashoe with said traction members extending transversely of said soleportions, the opposite ends of said traction members including upturnedterminal ends terminating upwardly in inturned hooks adapted, togetherwith said terminal ends and the adjacent ends of said traction members,to embracingly engage the adjacent sole edge portions, means extendingbetween and rigidly interconnecting the hooks carried by correspondingends of said traction members, said traction members being generallyarcuate in plan shape, said arcuate traction members opening away fromeach other.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said aid isconstructed of a single elongated member having its ends rigidly joinedtogether in end aligned abutted relation.
 9. The combinaton of claim 8wherein said elongated member is rod shaped in configuration.